1 00:00:01,400 --> 00:00:06,200 At the movie theater, what happens at the end when the 2 00:00:06,200 --> 00:00:10,720 closing credits begin to roll? It's not a trick question. 3 00:00:11,520 --> 00:00:13,880 You know the answer. Everyone leaves. 4 00:00:14,640 --> 00:00:17,200 Apparently we're not very interested to know the names of 5 00:00:17,200 --> 00:00:20,640 those people who spent three to four years of their life to 6 00:00:20,640 --> 00:00:24,400 entertain us For about 120 minutes, Everyone leaves. 7 00:00:24,960 --> 00:00:28,480 That is, unless you're watching a Marvel movie. 8 00:00:29,720 --> 00:00:32,200 During COVID, many of you took up new hobbies. 9 00:00:32,680 --> 00:00:36,600 Some of you became woodworkers or started to become bakers of 10 00:00:36,600 --> 00:00:39,640 bread. I, on the other hand, enjoyed a 11 00:00:39,640 --> 00:00:43,480 Marvel movie marathon during our lockdown. 12 00:00:43,480 --> 00:00:47,280 We were in Dubai. Lockdown lasted a few months and 13 00:00:47,280 --> 00:00:51,480 so each week we'd watch a movie. At the time, we lived in a big 14 00:00:51,480 --> 00:00:54,960 villa with another couple and two Single Ladies from our 15 00:00:54,960 --> 00:00:57,480 church. We're all together, and so after 16 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:01,480 dinner together, we'd part ways. The ladies would go upstairs, 17 00:01:01,840 --> 00:01:06,000 they'd watch Downton Abbey. The men would stay downstairs to 18 00:01:06,000 --> 00:01:10,320 watch Marvel movies. In chronological order, you can 19 00:01:10,320 --> 00:01:14,520 pick you have a British historical drama or superheroes 20 00:01:14,520 --> 00:01:16,720 saving the world. You can decide for yourself 21 00:01:16,720 --> 00:01:20,800 which one was more edifying at the movies. 22 00:01:21,320 --> 00:01:27,800 After a Marvel movie, no one moves because after the closing 23 00:01:27,800 --> 00:01:31,040 credits roll, there's a post credits scene. 24 00:01:32,240 --> 00:01:36,720 Often these include little Easter eggs, little hints that 25 00:01:36,720 --> 00:01:41,400 foreshadow the future of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, or 26 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:46,480 little hints that resolve plot lines of movies past. 27 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:51,440 When you watch a post credits movie scene, it makes you wonder 28 00:01:51,600 --> 00:01:56,160 and think, wait a second. It makes you anticipate 29 00:01:56,560 --> 00:01:59,000 something that might be coming in the future. 30 00:01:59,320 --> 00:02:02,680 Sometimes it makes you rethink the whole movie. 31 00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:09,120 Today, as we finish the book of Ruth, don't miss the important 32 00:02:09,320 --> 00:02:13,320 post credits scene while the book of Ruth. 33 00:02:13,400 --> 00:02:15,320 And if you have your Bible, go ahead and turn there. 34 00:02:16,440 --> 00:02:21,520 It's a microscopic look as we've talked about at 1 little family 35 00:02:21,880 --> 00:02:25,920 in the little town of Bethlehem. The post credits scene, the 36 00:02:25,920 --> 00:02:30,880 epilogue actually zooms out. It zooms out from that one 37 00:02:30,880 --> 00:02:35,000 little family facing hardships. It zooms out of the little town 38 00:02:35,000 --> 00:02:38,200 of Bethlehem. It zooms out of the nation of 39 00:02:38,200 --> 00:02:41,880 Israel. It even bursts out far into 40 00:02:42,280 --> 00:02:46,720 future generations. It even zooms out to us. 41 00:02:47,480 --> 00:02:50,640 So turn your Bible to Ruth Chapter 4. 42 00:02:51,840 --> 00:02:54,200 A brief, brief recap before we consider it. 43 00:02:55,040 --> 00:03:00,000 Remember, this is a story of two widows, 2 poor widows, Naomi and 44 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:02,680 Ruth. They're in need of redemption 45 00:03:03,640 --> 00:03:08,680 and they've met Boaz. And Boaz in chapter 3 said he 46 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:14,680 was willing and able to redeem. And that's how we ended chapter 47 00:03:14,680 --> 00:03:17,440 3. Today we consider the final 48 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:22,440 scene, chapter 4. How will Boaz settle the matter? 49 00:03:23,080 --> 00:03:27,960 How will scene 4 end? As I read Ruth Chapter 4, hear 50 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:34,760 the word of the Lord. Now Boaz had gone up to the gate 51 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:40,800 and sat down there, and behold, the Redeemer of whom Boaz had 52 00:03:40,800 --> 00:03:44,360 spoken came by. So Boaz said, turn a side, 53 00:03:44,360 --> 00:03:48,360 friend, sit down here. And he turned aside and sat 54 00:03:48,360 --> 00:03:52,280 down, and he took ten men of this elders of the city and 55 00:03:52,280 --> 00:03:55,160 said, sit down here. So they sat down. 56 00:03:56,160 --> 00:04:00,640 Then he said to the Redeemer, Naomi, who has come back from 57 00:04:00,640 --> 00:04:04,320 the country of Moab, is selling the parcel of land that belonged 58 00:04:04,320 --> 00:04:07,960 to our relative Elimelech. So I thought I would tell you of 59 00:04:07,960 --> 00:04:11,480 it and say buy it in the presence of those sitting here 60 00:04:11,760 --> 00:04:13,920 and in the presence of the elders of my people. 61 00:04:14,240 --> 00:04:15,960 If you will redeem it, redeem it. 62 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:20,880 But if you will not, tell me that, I may know, for there is 63 00:04:20,880 --> 00:04:23,880 no one besides you to redeem it, and I come after you. 64 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:30,360 And he said, I will redeem it. Then Boaz said, The day you buy 65 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:33,160 the field from the hand of Naomi, you also acquire Ruth the 66 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:37,360 Moabite, the widow of the dead, in order to perpetuate the name 67 00:04:37,360 --> 00:04:42,560 of the dead in his inheritance. Then the Redeemer said, I cannot 68 00:04:42,560 --> 00:04:46,640 redeem it for myself, lest I impair my own inheritance. 69 00:04:46,920 --> 00:04:50,480 Take my right of redemption yourself, for I cannot redeem 70 00:04:50,480 --> 00:04:53,520 it. Now this was the custom in 71 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:56,360 former times in Israel concerning redeeming and 72 00:04:56,360 --> 00:04:59,200 exchanging to confirm a transaction. 73 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:03,360 The one drew off his sandal and gave it to the other, And this 74 00:05:03,360 --> 00:05:05,320 was the manner of attesting in Israel. 75 00:05:05,800 --> 00:05:10,040 So when the Redeemer said to Boaz, Buy it for yourself, he 76 00:05:10,040 --> 00:05:13,280 drew off his sandal. Then Boaz said to the elders and 77 00:05:13,280 --> 00:05:16,720 all the people, You are witnesses this day that I have 78 00:05:16,720 --> 00:05:20,560 bought from the hand of Naomi all that belonged to Elimelech, 79 00:05:21,120 --> 00:05:25,400 and all that belonged to Killian, and to Malon also Ruth 80 00:05:25,400 --> 00:05:30,280 the Moabite, the widow of Malon, I have bought to be my wife to 81 00:05:30,280 --> 00:05:33,320 perpetuate the name of the dead and his inheritance, that the 82 00:05:33,320 --> 00:05:37,280 name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brothers and 83 00:05:37,280 --> 00:05:39,200 from the gate of his native place. 84 00:05:39,440 --> 00:05:44,760 You this is this day then all the people who are at the gate 85 00:05:44,760 --> 00:05:47,640 and the elder said we are witnesses. 86 00:05:48,000 --> 00:05:51,880 May the Lord make the woman who is coming into your house like 87 00:05:51,920 --> 00:05:55,760 Rachel and Leah, who together built up the House of Israel. 88 00:05:55,960 --> 00:06:00,480 May you act worthily in Ephratha and be renowned in Bethlehem. 89 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:04,480 And may your house be like the House of Perez, whom Tamar 90 00:06:04,480 --> 00:06:07,920 bordered Judah, because of the offspring that the Lord will 91 00:06:07,920 --> 00:06:14,400 give you by this young woman. So Boaz took Ruth and she became 92 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:18,000 his wife, and he went into her. And the Lord gave her 93 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:23,640 conception, and she bore a son. Then the women said to Naomi, 94 00:06:24,320 --> 00:06:27,760 Blessed be the Lord, who has not left you this day without a 95 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:30,920 Redeemer. And may his name be renowned in 96 00:06:30,920 --> 00:06:33,520 Israel. He shall be to you a restorer of 97 00:06:33,520 --> 00:06:36,200 life and a nourisher of your old age. 98 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:41,080 For your daughter-in-law who loves you, who is more to you 99 00:06:41,080 --> 00:06:44,640 than seven sons, has given birth to him. 100 00:06:45,480 --> 00:06:49,760 Then Naomi took the child and laid him on her lap and became 101 00:06:49,760 --> 00:06:52,280 his nurse. And the women of the 102 00:06:52,280 --> 00:06:56,280 neighborhood gave him a name saying a son has been born to 103 00:06:56,280 --> 00:06:59,080 Naomi. They named him Obed. 104 00:06:59,680 --> 00:07:04,120 He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. 105 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:08,000 Now these are the generations of Perez. 106 00:07:08,400 --> 00:07:13,240 Perez fathered Hezron, Hezron fathered Ram, Ram Father A 107 00:07:13,240 --> 00:07:17,640 Minidab, Minidab fathered Nashan, Nashan fathered Salman. 108 00:07:17,840 --> 00:07:22,440 Salman fathered Boaz. Boaz fathered Obed, Obed Father 109 00:07:22,440 --> 00:07:29,920 Jesse and Jesse fathered David. Friends, we've seen that Ruth is 110 00:07:29,920 --> 00:07:35,080 a story of bitter Providence. And we've all tasted our own 111 00:07:35,080 --> 00:07:36,640 bitter providences too, haven't we? 112 00:07:37,880 --> 00:07:40,680 Those times in life when it feels like you're being pressed 113 00:07:40,680 --> 00:07:44,600 on every side, or like you're walking in pitch black with no 114 00:07:44,600 --> 00:07:50,120 clue where you're going, or like you just keep getting hit by one 115 00:07:50,120 --> 00:07:54,040 blow after another and you're just trying to catch your 116 00:07:54,040 --> 00:07:58,840 breath. Is God at work in our pain? 117 00:07:59,800 --> 00:08:04,040 Is he working through our discouragements and our 118 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:08,040 disappointments? The book of Ruth reminds us that 119 00:08:08,040 --> 00:08:14,200 God often does his best work behind the scenes, though his 120 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:18,040 hand is often hidden. The book of Ruth reminds us of 121 00:08:18,040 --> 00:08:23,680 the subtle Providence of God, who works all things together 122 00:08:24,160 --> 00:08:27,280 for our good. That's what we see God do in the 123 00:08:27,280 --> 00:08:31,600 book of Ruth. He works things together for 124 00:08:31,600 --> 00:08:34,360 good. The book of Ruth is a story. 125 00:08:34,360 --> 00:08:40,640 It's a story from death to life, from curse to blessing, from 126 00:08:40,640 --> 00:08:46,840 famine to feast, from emptiness to fullness, from barrenness to 127 00:08:46,840 --> 00:08:51,800 fruitfulness, from the days when there was no king in Israel to 128 00:08:51,800 --> 00:08:57,560 the greatest king of Israel. David And chapter 4 teaches us 129 00:08:57,920 --> 00:09:04,320 that God providentially provides our costly redemption through 130 00:09:04,320 --> 00:09:08,880 our King, Jesus Christ. Redemption. 131 00:09:09,840 --> 00:09:12,000 That's what chapter 4 is all about. 132 00:09:12,160 --> 00:09:18,440 But not just Ruth's redemption ours. 2 We'll consider chapter 4 133 00:09:18,720 --> 00:09:23,720 and three points .1 redemption accomplished, verses 1 to 12 134 00:09:24,520 --> 00:09:30,280 redemption accomplished, .2 redemption applied, verses 13 to 135 00:09:30,280 --> 00:09:37,440 17 redemption applied, and .3 Redemption anticipated verses 18 136 00:09:37,440 --> 00:09:45,600 to 22 first .1 Redemption accomplish verses 1 to 12 tell 137 00:09:46,080 --> 00:09:50,840 of a worthy Redeemer who is willing to pay the price of our 138 00:09:50,840 --> 00:09:56,080 costly redemption. Remember what Boaz swore to Ruth 139 00:09:56,080 --> 00:10:01,840 at the end of chapter 3. As the Lord lives, I will redeem 140 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:05,080 you. And remember what Naomi assured 141 00:10:05,080 --> 00:10:08,200 Ruth about Boaz at the end of chapter 3. 142 00:10:08,680 --> 00:10:15,160 He will settle the matter today. Chapter 4 begins with Boaz 143 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:19,320 sitting at the gate. He's come to settle the matter 144 00:10:19,760 --> 00:10:23,880 of roots, redemption. The gate in ancient Israel was 145 00:10:23,880 --> 00:10:29,600 the place for legal business. And look who shows up to the 146 00:10:29,600 --> 00:10:35,960 gate in verse one, Verse 1. Behold, the Redeemer of whom 147 00:10:35,960 --> 00:10:43,120 Boaz had spoken came by. Behold, Remember, the author set 148 00:10:43,120 --> 00:10:47,000 up chapter 2 in the exact same way, chapter 2, verse 4. 149 00:10:47,280 --> 00:10:53,880 Behold, Boaz came from Bethlehem, meaning the author 150 00:10:53,880 --> 00:10:57,440 wants us to know. This is not a coincidence. 151 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:02,960 The author takes us behind the scenes and shows us the hidden 152 00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:05,720 hand of God at work. Friends, this is divine 153 00:11:05,720 --> 00:11:10,480 Providence, that sweet doctrine that God is the one who 154 00:11:10,480 --> 00:11:16,680 constantly cares for creation. God was working when Boaz was 155 00:11:16,680 --> 00:11:21,880 sitting, and Boaz sees the man and he asks him to sit. 156 00:11:22,240 --> 00:11:25,600 Then he asked 10 elders of the city to sit, and with everyone 157 00:11:25,600 --> 00:11:28,720 seated at the gate, they're ready for business. 158 00:11:29,520 --> 00:11:33,080 So Boaz tells the Redeemer, Naomi's selling the land that 159 00:11:33,080 --> 00:11:35,720 belonged to Elimelech why she's selling it. 160 00:11:36,120 --> 00:11:39,200 She's likely selling it because she's returned from Moab with 161 00:11:39,200 --> 00:11:41,680 nothing to her name. She's a poor widow. 162 00:11:42,480 --> 00:11:45,840 She can't maintain the land, She can't retain the land. 163 00:11:46,360 --> 00:11:51,200 And according to the law, her family had an obligation to make 164 00:11:51,200 --> 00:11:55,640 sure that the land was not lost. So Boaz presents the Redeemer 165 00:11:55,640 --> 00:11:58,280 with a proposition. Look at verse 4. 166 00:12:00,360 --> 00:12:03,000 But in the presence of those sitting here, if you will redeem 167 00:12:03,000 --> 00:12:06,600 it, redeem it. But if you'll not, tell me, for 168 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:08,200 there's no one beside you to redeem it. 169 00:12:08,200 --> 00:12:12,840 And I come after you, and the man responds quickly, I will 170 00:12:12,840 --> 00:12:15,680 redeem it. But there's one more thing Boaz 171 00:12:15,680 --> 00:12:19,080 says, verse 5. The day you buy the field, you 172 00:12:19,080 --> 00:12:23,000 also acquire Ruth the Moabite in order to perpetuate the name of 173 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:27,040 the dead. It seems that Ruth also has a 174 00:12:27,040 --> 00:12:30,160 stake in the land. So if this Redeemer buys the 175 00:12:30,160 --> 00:12:32,320 field, then he also has to marry Ruth. 176 00:12:32,320 --> 00:12:35,160 And if he marries Ruth, then he also has to seek to raise up an 177 00:12:35,160 --> 00:12:38,840 heir for her. Put yourself in his shoes. 178 00:12:39,520 --> 00:12:42,720 When you're making a large investment, maybe a large 179 00:12:42,720 --> 00:12:46,360 purchase, what do you do? Well, you count the cost, you 180 00:12:46,360 --> 00:12:48,880 run the numbers. Well, what's the upfront cost, 181 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:52,480 and can I afford that right now? And then what's the return on 182 00:12:52,480 --> 00:12:54,760 investment? And is this a good deal? 183 00:12:54,800 --> 00:13:00,280 Ultimately, the nameless Redeemer ran the numbers, and at 184 00:13:00,280 --> 00:13:03,760 first he knew if he bought the land, he'd have to care for 185 00:13:03,760 --> 00:13:06,360 Naomi. But once Naomi died, the land 186 00:13:06,360 --> 00:13:09,720 would come to him. But with this new information, 187 00:13:09,960 --> 00:13:12,040 he knew that if he bought the land, he'd have to care for 188 00:13:12,040 --> 00:13:17,320 Naomi and Mary Ruth and try to have a child and feed them all. 189 00:13:17,480 --> 00:13:22,760 And then in the end, that child would inherit the land, meaning 190 00:13:22,760 --> 00:13:25,840 this man would have to pay the price of redemption with no 191 00:13:25,840 --> 00:13:29,360 promise of financial gain in the future. 192 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:33,960 And so for this unnamed Redeemer, the cost of redemption 193 00:13:33,960 --> 00:13:38,640 was too high. So in verse 6, he backs out and 194 00:13:38,640 --> 00:13:41,120 he gives the right of redemption to Boaz. 195 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:45,440 And in order to understand what happens next, the author gives 196 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:46,840 us a little historical background. 197 00:13:47,440 --> 00:13:50,080 Imagine if you were at the store, somebody was making a 198 00:13:50,080 --> 00:13:53,880 large purchase and they took their sandal off and then handed 199 00:13:53,880 --> 00:13:56,640 it to the cash register, the cashier. 200 00:13:56,840 --> 00:13:59,560 You'd be thinking, wait, what is happening here? 201 00:14:00,360 --> 00:14:02,720 But in Israel this would have made sense, which the author 202 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:06,240 tells us in verse 7. Transactions of redeeming and 203 00:14:06,240 --> 00:14:10,160 exchanging were attested to an ancient Israel by taking off 204 00:14:10,160 --> 00:14:12,680 your sandal and giving it to the other person. 205 00:14:12,840 --> 00:14:16,560 So the Redeemer takes off his sandal, takes it off his foot, 206 00:14:16,560 --> 00:14:21,200 passes it over, and by doing so in front of the elders, in front 207 00:14:21,200 --> 00:14:24,560 of everyone else there he publicly passes on the right of 208 00:14:24,560 --> 00:14:28,920 redemption to Boaz. And so Boaz turns to the 10 209 00:14:28,920 --> 00:14:32,800 elders and to all the people and says, verse 9. 210 00:14:33,360 --> 00:14:37,400 You are witnesses this day. He says he's bought from the 211 00:14:37,400 --> 00:14:41,440 hand of Naomi all that belonged to her, and Elimelech and 212 00:14:41,440 --> 00:14:46,320 Killian and Mulan, and also Ruth the Moabite. 213 00:14:46,920 --> 00:14:52,440 You are witnesses this day here at the gate. 214 00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:57,760 Sitting down with all the witnesses present, Boaz settles 215 00:14:57,760 --> 00:15:02,040 the matter. He buys Naomi so her land won't 216 00:15:02,040 --> 00:15:06,440 pass outside the Limelux clan, and he buys Ruth so her 217 00:15:06,440 --> 00:15:09,760 husband's name won't be cut off so it won't be forgotten. 218 00:15:10,000 --> 00:15:12,800 The matter is settled, The court is adjourned. 219 00:15:12,920 --> 00:15:16,280 And back then in ancient Israel, when court adjourned, apparently 220 00:15:16,280 --> 00:15:20,720 everyone prays verses 11 and 12. The scene closes with prayer. 221 00:15:21,440 --> 00:15:26,120 Listen to their prayer. May the Lord make the woman who 222 00:15:26,120 --> 00:15:29,720 was coming into your house like Rachel and Leah, who together 223 00:15:29,720 --> 00:15:33,520 built up the House of Israel. May you act worthily in 224 00:15:33,520 --> 00:15:36,320 Nephratha and be renowned in Bethlehem. 225 00:15:36,840 --> 00:15:41,560 And may your house be like the House of Perez, whom Tamar bore 226 00:15:41,560 --> 00:15:44,760 to Judah, because of the offspring that the Lord will 227 00:15:44,760 --> 00:15:50,080 give you by this young woman. They pray for Ruth. 228 00:15:51,000 --> 00:15:53,920 They pray for Ruth by looking to the past. 229 00:15:54,080 --> 00:15:57,760 They asked the Lord that he'd make her fruitful like Rachel 230 00:15:57,760 --> 00:16:00,040 and Leah. Those are the two wives of Jacob 231 00:16:00,360 --> 00:16:03,280 who bore eight of his twelve sons, and those 12 sons would 232 00:16:03,280 --> 00:16:07,160 become the 12 tribes of Israel. And then they pray for Boaz by 233 00:16:07,160 --> 00:16:11,560 looking into the future. They asked the Lord to bless 234 00:16:11,560 --> 00:16:15,800 Boaz, who's a worthy man, that he would keep acting worthily. 235 00:16:16,480 --> 00:16:20,240 And they asked the Lord that Boaz, his name, would continue 236 00:16:20,520 --> 00:16:25,520 on for generations to come. Keep in mind, the unnamed 237 00:16:25,520 --> 00:16:31,000 Redeemer was unwilling to exchange his own inheritance to 238 00:16:31,000 --> 00:16:33,520 redeem Ruth. The cost was too great. 239 00:16:34,320 --> 00:16:38,000 But Boaz was willing. And now the unnamed redeemer's 240 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:43,360 name is forgotten, but the name of Boaz continues in renown. 241 00:16:44,360 --> 00:16:50,960 Boaz is a worthy Redeemer who was willing to pay the price for 242 00:16:50,960 --> 00:16:57,320 Ruth's costly redemption. And in that we see a picture of 243 00:16:57,320 --> 00:17:02,000 our Redeemer of Jesus Christ. Brothers and sisters, Jesus 244 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:07,319 Christ is a worthy Redeemer who was willing to pay the price for 245 00:17:07,319 --> 00:17:13,119 our costly redemption. What a precious title Redeemer. 246 00:17:13,480 --> 00:17:18,680 It reminds us that He saved us and at great cost to himself. 247 00:17:19,560 --> 00:17:22,680 A cost he was more than willing to pay. 248 00:17:23,680 --> 00:17:29,120 What was the price that God paid for the redemption of His people 249 00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:33,720 on the cross? God did not spare his only Son, 250 00:17:34,160 --> 00:17:37,800 Jesus Christ, but gave himself up for our salvation. 251 00:17:38,360 --> 00:17:43,000 And Christ himself obtained the Church by his own blood. 252 00:17:43,640 --> 00:17:46,960 He shed his blood, He died for our sins. 253 00:17:47,120 --> 00:17:50,480 He bore God's wrath for our salvation, and he rose again. 254 00:17:50,760 --> 00:17:55,760 And if you're united to him by faith, then your inheritance, 255 00:17:56,440 --> 00:17:59,440 your eternal inheritance is secure. 256 00:17:59,560 --> 00:18:03,840 You'll never be cut off because you are now a fellow heir with 257 00:18:04,320 --> 00:18:07,040 Jesus Christ. Friend, if you're not a 258 00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:12,560 Christian, would you believe in the only Redeemer who was able 259 00:18:12,560 --> 00:18:16,600 and willing to pay the price for your redemption? 260 00:18:17,320 --> 00:18:20,520 Would you trust in Him and turn from your sins? 261 00:18:21,880 --> 00:18:27,200 And church, it's good to remember what God has done for 262 00:18:27,200 --> 00:18:32,200 us in the Gospel. Consider even further the cost 263 00:18:32,200 --> 00:18:36,240 of your redemption. You were dead in the grave. 264 00:18:37,200 --> 00:18:41,480 To bring you to life, Christ had to die himself. 265 00:18:41,720 --> 00:18:45,440 You were empty, living a hopeless life, and to fill you 266 00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:50,400 up, Christ had to empty himself. You were destined for wrath and 267 00:18:50,400 --> 00:18:53,200 judgement and eternal condemnation. 268 00:18:53,400 --> 00:18:58,280 And to free you from wrath, Christ had to bear the wrath 269 00:18:58,440 --> 00:19:01,840 himself. That's what God's done for you 270 00:19:02,800 --> 00:19:07,240 in the gospel. And if God didn't spare his own 271 00:19:07,240 --> 00:19:12,880 Son for your salvation, will he not also, with Christ, 272 00:19:13,120 --> 00:19:20,960 graciously give you all things? Think for a moment about how 273 00:19:20,960 --> 00:19:28,120 God's generosity to you in the Gospel reframes how you receive 274 00:19:28,400 --> 00:19:31,000 the bitter Providence that God sends you. 275 00:19:33,120 --> 00:19:36,400 Like when you meet the trials of various kinds that every 276 00:19:36,400 --> 00:19:41,560 Christian faces unexplained sickness, job loss, 277 00:19:42,640 --> 00:19:46,600 discouragement, depression, conflict in your family or with 278 00:19:46,600 --> 00:19:49,520 your friends. Like when you're reviled and 279 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:51,720 persecuted. Like so many Christians around 280 00:19:51,720 --> 00:19:55,560 the world face when you're slandered, denied promotions, 281 00:19:55,720 --> 00:20:00,320 even shunned from your family. Like when you meet the troubles 282 00:20:00,760 --> 00:20:05,560 of the Book of Ruth, the loss of your security, the loss of a 283 00:20:05,560 --> 00:20:09,000 loved one. Even the unexplained inability 284 00:20:09,520 --> 00:20:15,160 to have a child like when you face the bitter Providence that 285 00:20:15,160 --> 00:20:18,800 you face today, how do you respond? 286 00:20:20,320 --> 00:20:24,880 How can we possibly rejoice in the midst of those difficulties 287 00:20:25,560 --> 00:20:30,160 and discouragements? How can you, Christian, count it 288 00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:36,080 all as joy as we're called to brothers and sisters? 289 00:20:36,080 --> 00:20:43,240 The answer is only by faith. Only by believing that the God 290 00:20:43,240 --> 00:20:47,120 who gave up his only Son for your costly redemption, that 291 00:20:47,120 --> 00:20:51,920 he's the same God who gives good gifts to his children. 292 00:20:52,560 --> 00:20:54,440 And that's what the book of Ruth teaches us. 293 00:20:54,680 --> 00:20:58,600 It teaches us that the way to walk through bitter Providence 294 00:20:58,760 --> 00:21:04,440 is to keep walking back to the Lord by faith, patiently 295 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:10,520 trusting the Lord that his good purposes will be revealed in due 296 00:21:10,520 --> 00:21:15,320 time. In due time, Christian God, 297 00:21:15,880 --> 00:21:20,160 who's a restorer of life, will restore to you the years the 298 00:21:20,160 --> 00:21:23,960 locusts have eaten. He will make up for everything 299 00:21:23,960 --> 00:21:27,520 you've ever lost. He will Himself restore, 300 00:21:27,800 --> 00:21:31,200 confirm, strengthen, and establish you. 301 00:21:32,720 --> 00:21:34,240 He's accomplished your redemption. 302 00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:37,560 You can trust Him with every trial. 303 00:21:38,760 --> 00:21:46,600 In verses 13 to 17, we see .2 Redemption applied, Redemption 304 00:21:47,200 --> 00:21:53,680 applied. We see the fruit of redemption. 305 00:21:54,520 --> 00:21:58,800 So far every chapter in Ruth has ended with barley. 306 00:21:59,560 --> 00:22:03,200 How does scene 4 end? Look at verse 13. 307 00:22:05,280 --> 00:22:10,560 So Boaz took Ruth and she became his wife and he went into her 308 00:22:11,200 --> 00:22:14,920 and the Lord gave her conception and she bore a son. 309 00:22:15,960 --> 00:22:19,240 Scene 4 doesn't end with barley, it ends with a baby. 310 00:22:19,760 --> 00:22:22,040 After the wedding came the baby shower. 311 00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:25,680 Children are a gift from the Lord and children are gifts 312 00:22:25,680 --> 00:22:28,720 given by the Lord. That's what the author says. 313 00:22:28,720 --> 00:22:35,160 The Lord gave Ruth conception. Notice the author tells us the 314 00:22:35,160 --> 00:22:38,800 Lord did this. Ordinarily in the book of Ruth, 315 00:22:39,000 --> 00:22:44,560 the hand of God is hidden behind phrases like behold or back. 316 00:22:44,560 --> 00:22:48,880 In chapter 2, she happened to come to the part of the field 317 00:22:48,880 --> 00:22:52,160 belonging to Boaz. In fact, the author only 318 00:22:52,160 --> 00:22:57,160 explicitly mentions the Lord doing something two times in the 319 00:22:57,160 --> 00:22:58,600 book of Ruth. Turn quickly. 320 00:22:58,960 --> 00:23:08,400 Chapter one, verse 6. Naomi heard that the Lord had 321 00:23:08,400 --> 00:23:11,360 visited his people and given them food. 322 00:23:11,640 --> 00:23:15,840 That's the first instance God gave them bread in Bethlehem. 323 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:21,760 Here in chapter 4 is the second incense the Lord gave Ruth 324 00:23:21,920 --> 00:23:27,520 conception 2 explicit acts of God and they're both regarding 325 00:23:27,520 --> 00:23:31,240 fertility. One in chapter 1, one in chapter 326 00:23:31,240 --> 00:23:34,960 4, meaning they function as bookends to the book 1 marks the 327 00:23:34,960 --> 00:23:38,000 end of the famine. The other marks the end of 328 00:23:38,000 --> 00:23:40,880 infertility. For remember back to chapter 1, 329 00:23:41,320 --> 00:23:44,640 Ruth had been married 10 years with no children. 330 00:23:45,160 --> 00:23:48,440 The author implied there she was unable to have children. 331 00:23:49,320 --> 00:23:52,000 What are these bookends then teach us? 332 00:23:53,520 --> 00:23:58,880 Together these two acts teach us that the Lord is the one who 333 00:23:58,880 --> 00:24:01,880 providentially provides for his people. 334 00:24:03,960 --> 00:24:06,800 And how does God providentially provide for his people? 335 00:24:08,400 --> 00:24:13,520 According to the book of Ruth, one of the ways God provides is 336 00:24:13,520 --> 00:24:17,000 through prayer. Now, God doesn't need our 337 00:24:17,000 --> 00:24:21,480 prayers, but we need to pray. And God doesn't need our 338 00:24:21,480 --> 00:24:24,440 prayers, but he's chosen to govern the world through 339 00:24:24,440 --> 00:24:28,080 secondary means, like the prayers of his people. 340 00:24:28,320 --> 00:24:32,520 There are five prayers in the book of Ruth and did you know 341 00:24:33,160 --> 00:24:36,080 that God answers every single one of them? 342 00:24:37,240 --> 00:24:41,240 Chapter 1 Naomi prays that the Lord would provide Ruth rest in 343 00:24:41,240 --> 00:24:45,440 the House of her husband. Chapter 2 Boaz prays that the 344 00:24:45,440 --> 00:24:48,240 Lord would reward Ruth for her loyalty to Naomi. 345 00:24:48,640 --> 00:24:52,720 In chapter 2 also Naomi prays that the Lord would bless Boaz. 346 00:24:52,720 --> 00:24:57,120 And in chapter 3 Boaz prays that the Lord would bless Ruth. 347 00:24:57,360 --> 00:25:00,680 And in chapter 4, which we just read, the people pray for Ruth 348 00:25:00,680 --> 00:25:03,800 to have a baby and for Boaz, his name to be renowned in 349 00:25:03,800 --> 00:25:06,680 Bethlehem. And all of these prayers 350 00:25:06,920 --> 00:25:13,360 culminate in chapter 4, verse 13, as the Lord answers with the 351 00:25:13,360 --> 00:25:19,720 blessing of a baby. God is sovereign over 352 00:25:19,720 --> 00:25:23,160 everything. And the God who's sovereign over 353 00:25:23,160 --> 00:25:28,120 everything commands us to pray about everything. 354 00:25:29,040 --> 00:25:34,000 We're commanded. Ask, seek, knock. 355 00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:38,120 We're even rebuked you have not because you asked not. 356 00:25:38,600 --> 00:25:45,200 Psalm 65 calls the Lord. You who hear prayer that should 357 00:25:45,200 --> 00:25:50,080 make us marvel. God hears our prayers and he 358 00:25:50,080 --> 00:25:54,560 answers them. I wonder who the first person 359 00:25:54,560 --> 00:26:00,760 you call is when you're in trouble, first person comes to 360 00:26:00,760 --> 00:26:04,480 your mind, or who's the most important person in your 361 00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:08,040 contacts if you need to get something done, Who's getting a 362 00:26:08,040 --> 00:26:11,480 phone call? Who do you have personal access 363 00:26:11,480 --> 00:26:14,120 to? Christians. 364 00:26:15,840 --> 00:26:20,960 We have a personal audience with the Lord Almighty of the 365 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:26,280 universe, a personal audience. Therefore, prayers should be 366 00:26:26,280 --> 00:26:28,160 like the background music for our life. 367 00:26:29,240 --> 00:26:31,800 You go to the grocery store, you see a lot of people walking 368 00:26:31,800 --> 00:26:34,880 around with headphones. They are literally living their 369 00:26:34,880 --> 00:26:37,760 life according to a soundtrack. In a sense, that's what our 370 00:26:37,760 --> 00:26:41,120 prayer lives should be like. We should always be praying. 371 00:26:41,120 --> 00:26:44,800 That's what Paul says. Pray without ceasing. 372 00:26:45,080 --> 00:26:49,600 Every circumstance we face should be fodder for our prayer 373 00:26:49,600 --> 00:26:52,440 lives. And the Almighty God of the 374 00:26:52,440 --> 00:26:56,200 universe acts through our prayers. 375 00:26:56,840 --> 00:26:59,280 So church, we should pray with great expectation. 376 00:27:00,280 --> 00:27:03,560 Our prayers this morning, they were not performances. 377 00:27:04,360 --> 00:27:09,040 We are calling on the name of the Lord together as a church. 378 00:27:09,240 --> 00:27:12,360 And as we gather tonight for our prayer meeting, our prayers are 379 00:27:12,360 --> 00:27:14,960 not perfunctory. They're not just out of duty. 380 00:27:15,120 --> 00:27:19,680 We are privileged to approach the throne of God with great 381 00:27:19,680 --> 00:27:23,960 confidence. I wonder, what are you 382 00:27:24,640 --> 00:27:30,160 personally praying for? Peace in your marriage? 383 00:27:31,480 --> 00:27:35,040 Wisdom for a difficult decision? Provision for the future? 384 00:27:35,960 --> 00:27:39,920 Comfort for a suffering friend? Courage to do the right thing? 385 00:27:40,560 --> 00:27:45,480 Boldness to share the gospel? The salvation of your family and 386 00:27:45,480 --> 00:27:52,080 friends? God hears every prayer, and 387 00:27:52,080 --> 00:27:55,680 He'll answer. In the book of Ruth, we have the 388 00:27:55,680 --> 00:27:59,600 privilege to see how God answers every prayer. 389 00:28:00,600 --> 00:28:04,280 But I recognize that on earth this is not always the case. 390 00:28:04,480 --> 00:28:08,600 Each of us sits here with many prayers that remain unanswered 391 00:28:08,920 --> 00:28:10,520 prayers. Some of us have prayed for 392 00:28:10,520 --> 00:28:14,800 years, maybe for decades. But brothers and sisters in 393 00:28:14,800 --> 00:28:20,440 heaven will have the privilege to hear how God answered every 394 00:28:20,440 --> 00:28:23,920 one of our prayers better than we could have asked or imagined. 395 00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:31,480 What good might God accomplish through the prayers of His 396 00:28:31,480 --> 00:28:36,600 people? After Ruth has a baby, the 397 00:28:36,600 --> 00:28:40,160 author turns back to Naomi. Look at what the women say to 398 00:28:40,160 --> 00:28:46,200 Naomi in verse 14. Blessed be the Lord who has not 399 00:28:46,200 --> 00:28:49,840 left you this day without a Redeemer, and may His name be 400 00:28:49,840 --> 00:28:53,640 renowned in Israel. He shall be to you a restorer of 401 00:28:53,640 --> 00:28:56,440 life and a nourisher of your old age. 402 00:28:56,720 --> 00:29:00,520 For your daughter-in-law, who loves you, who is more to you 403 00:29:00,520 --> 00:29:03,240 than seven sons, has given birth to Him. 404 00:29:05,800 --> 00:29:09,840 Does it surprise you that in the closing scene of Ruth, the 405 00:29:09,840 --> 00:29:16,000 author shifts back to Naomi? If you paid attention, at the 406 00:29:16,000 --> 00:29:19,560 end of every chapter, the author does this. 407 00:29:20,080 --> 00:29:22,920 The author always turns back to Naomi. 408 00:29:23,520 --> 00:29:26,360 It throws us off a little bit because the book is called Ruth. 409 00:29:26,960 --> 00:29:31,280 But the spotlight, if you think of a play, each scene ends with 410 00:29:31,280 --> 00:29:34,240 a spotlight on Naomi. She's the one who closes out the 411 00:29:34,240 --> 00:29:36,960 scene. She's always left on the stage. 412 00:29:37,240 --> 00:29:41,760 Why? Remember what Naomi told the 413 00:29:41,760 --> 00:29:44,600 women of the town at the end of Chapter 1? 414 00:29:45,840 --> 00:29:50,080 She said the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me. 415 00:29:50,400 --> 00:29:54,560 She said the Lord has brought me back empty. 416 00:29:55,160 --> 00:30:00,560 As she considered her life, she felt like God was against her. 417 00:30:01,720 --> 00:30:04,240 That was her perspective in the beginning. 418 00:30:04,720 --> 00:30:07,600 But in each chapter we've seen that behind the scenes, the Lord 419 00:30:07,600 --> 00:30:10,600 wasn't against her. He was working for Naomi's good. 420 00:30:10,760 --> 00:30:14,840 And each and each chapter we've seen that Naomi's heart was 421 00:30:14,840 --> 00:30:21,840 softened to see God's kindness. And now Naomi doesn't tell the 422 00:30:21,840 --> 00:30:24,880 women of the town. The women of the town tell Naomi 423 00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:30,440 that she is blessed. For Naomi has a Redeemer, a 424 00:30:30,440 --> 00:30:35,280 little baby who will preserve a Limelux line and provide for 425 00:30:35,280 --> 00:30:38,920 Naomi in her old age. And Naomi has a daughter-in-law, 426 00:30:40,520 --> 00:30:45,480 Ruth the Moabite, who clung to her, who loves her. 427 00:30:45,960 --> 00:30:48,840 That's the only verb. That's the only use of the verb 428 00:30:48,840 --> 00:30:54,040 love in this entire story. It's Ruth's love for Naomi. 429 00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:58,760 And that means she's worth more than seven sons, a shocking 430 00:30:58,760 --> 00:31:02,840 statement in a culture that prized sons. 431 00:31:03,400 --> 00:31:07,680 So the scene ends in verse 16 with the baby boy sitting on 432 00:31:07,680 --> 00:31:11,520 Naomi's lap. Her hands are not empty, they're 433 00:31:11,520 --> 00:31:15,560 full. But just before the epilogue, 434 00:31:16,760 --> 00:31:18,920 the author drops one more detail. 435 00:31:18,920 --> 00:31:23,440 Verse 17, they named him the baby Obed. 436 00:31:24,280 --> 00:31:29,440 He was the father of Jesse, the father of David. 437 00:31:30,920 --> 00:31:36,160 Why does the author wait 4 chapters and then 17 verses to 438 00:31:36,160 --> 00:31:41,000 tell us this one little detail, David, To understand what the 439 00:31:41,000 --> 00:31:42,800 author is doing. I think a little illustration 440 00:31:42,800 --> 00:31:46,280 will help. The first time I hiked up a 441 00:31:46,280 --> 00:31:50,680 mountain, I learned the hard way about false peaks. 442 00:31:50,680 --> 00:31:54,040 Have you ever been hiking? False peaks are miserable. 443 00:31:54,800 --> 00:31:58,080 You hike up a mountain and all you can see is a peak. 444 00:31:58,280 --> 00:32:01,480 When you get to the top, you realize that was not the peak. 445 00:32:01,480 --> 00:32:04,440 There is another one coming. You get to the top of that one. 446 00:32:04,560 --> 00:32:07,320 You exert all that effort and energy and guess what? 447 00:32:07,440 --> 00:32:10,720 There's one more and you do it again and again and again until 448 00:32:10,720 --> 00:32:17,720 you get to the final peak. You could ask what's the peak of 449 00:32:17,720 --> 00:32:21,920 the Book of Ruth? Well, for Ruth and Boaz, it's 450 00:32:21,920 --> 00:32:24,560 certainly verse 13. They get married, they have a 451 00:32:24,560 --> 00:32:27,760 baby. But for Naomi, it seems it's 452 00:32:27,760 --> 00:32:33,440 verse 16, also the baby. Then you read verse 17 and it 453 00:32:33,440 --> 00:32:37,800 presents you with yet another peak, the final one, David. 454 00:32:38,000 --> 00:32:44,680 That is King David. And we find that King David, who 455 00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:48,640 played no part in the story whatsoever, appears to be the 456 00:32:48,640 --> 00:32:52,560 very reason the story was ever written at all. 457 00:32:53,560 --> 00:32:57,640 He's the Easter egg, he's the detail, the one discovery that 458 00:32:57,640 --> 00:33:01,160 once you find it, it makes you rethink the whole book. 459 00:33:02,160 --> 00:33:06,200 And once again, the author's revealing to us, the reader, the 460 00:33:06,200 --> 00:33:12,120 hidden hand of God, the glorious Providence of God. 461 00:33:13,360 --> 00:33:17,480 Finally .3 redemption anticipated. 462 00:33:21,640 --> 00:33:27,360 The book concludes with a post credits scene, an epilogue in 463 00:33:27,360 --> 00:33:29,320 the form of a genealogy. Verse 18. 464 00:33:30,800 --> 00:33:32,720 Now these are the generations of Perez. 465 00:33:33,000 --> 00:33:36,840 Perez fathered Hezron, Hezron fathered Ram, Ram fathered 466 00:33:36,840 --> 00:33:41,040 Aminidab, Aminidab fathered Nashan, Nashan fathered Salman, 467 00:33:41,600 --> 00:33:46,080 Salman fathered Boaz, Boaz fathered Obed, Obed fathered 468 00:33:46,080 --> 00:33:52,880 Jesse, and Jesse fathered David. Notice the time spanned in 469 00:33:52,880 --> 00:33:56,840 chapter 4. Verses 1 to 12 take place over 470 00:33:56,840 --> 00:34:00,840 one day, one day at the gate. Verses 13 to 17. 471 00:34:00,840 --> 00:34:03,440 Well, those must have taken place at least over nine months. 472 00:34:03,600 --> 00:34:05,080 That's how long it takes to have a baby. 473 00:34:05,560 --> 00:34:12,040 And what about verses 18 to 22? Hundreds of years, 10 474 00:34:12,080 --> 00:34:16,679 generations. Do you see God's hidden hand at 475 00:34:16,679 --> 00:34:19,960 work all over history? Think about it in the book of 476 00:34:19,960 --> 00:34:22,600 Ruth. Without the famine, Elimelech 477 00:34:22,600 --> 00:34:25,679 wouldn't have sojourned to Moab. Without the sojourn, his son 478 00:34:25,679 --> 00:34:27,560 Malan wouldn't have married Ruth and Moabite. 479 00:34:27,800 --> 00:34:30,639 Without Malan's death, Ruth and Naomi wouldn't have returned to 480 00:34:30,639 --> 00:34:32,600 Bethlehem. Without Ruth and Naomi and 481 00:34:32,600 --> 00:34:36,280 Bethlehem, Ruth wouldn't happen upon Boaz's field. 482 00:34:36,480 --> 00:34:39,159 And without Ruth and Boaz's meeting, there's no Obed. 483 00:34:39,360 --> 00:34:41,440 And without Obed there's no David. 484 00:34:41,639 --> 00:34:45,560 And therefore God's people would have remained in the days when 485 00:34:45,560 --> 00:34:49,120 there was no king in Israel, and everyone did what was right in 486 00:34:49,120 --> 00:34:53,440 their own eyes. Yet as we read in Matthew 1, 487 00:34:54,400 --> 00:34:58,080 without King David there be no King Jesus. 488 00:34:58,080 --> 00:35:03,320 For as we heard in Matthew 1, the genealogy continues from 489 00:35:03,320 --> 00:35:06,360 Ruth four. And David was the father of 490 00:35:06,560 --> 00:35:09,600 Solomon, and Solomon the father of Rehoboam, and Rehoboam the 491 00:35:09,600 --> 00:35:11,800 father of Abijah, and Abijah the father of Asaph. 492 00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:16,400 And he goes on and on and on and on in Matthew 1 until verse 16. 493 00:35:17,000 --> 00:35:22,080 And Jacob, the father of Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom 494 00:35:22,240 --> 00:35:26,880 Jesus was born, who is called Christ. 495 00:35:28,600 --> 00:35:32,480 But friends, now we've reached beyond the vision of the 496 00:35:32,480 --> 00:35:37,000 original author. For the story of Ruth reaches 497 00:35:37,000 --> 00:35:40,960 beyond the rest that David provided for Israel. 498 00:35:41,280 --> 00:35:48,080 The rest received in Ruth is just a hint, a taste of what God 499 00:35:48,080 --> 00:35:52,560 would do through the King of heaven, through Jesus Christ. 500 00:35:53,720 --> 00:35:55,600 Like David, he was born in Bethlehem. 501 00:35:56,160 --> 00:36:00,440 He is David's son, yet David's Lord, born miraculously of the 502 00:36:00,440 --> 00:36:04,360 Virgin Mary, born to pay the price of redemption, to save his 503 00:36:04,360 --> 00:36:08,840 people from their sins. Genealogies like this one force 504 00:36:08,840 --> 00:36:13,920 us to zoom out. We have just a small vantage 505 00:36:13,920 --> 00:36:17,200 point, a lifetime. That's it. 506 00:36:18,080 --> 00:36:22,640 God works through generations, He's faithful through 507 00:36:22,640 --> 00:36:27,440 generations. And we need to zoom out because 508 00:36:27,440 --> 00:36:31,600 our lives often seem mundane just one day after another. 509 00:36:32,640 --> 00:36:35,320 Sometimes we wonder, is it going anywhere? 510 00:36:36,200 --> 00:36:38,640 And then when we look at all the various events, they seem 511 00:36:38,640 --> 00:36:41,720 disparate. Is there a purpose behind any of 512 00:36:41,720 --> 00:36:44,120 it? A move here, a new neighbor 513 00:36:44,120 --> 00:36:47,840 there, a sickness, A promotion, a new opportunity, a new church. 514 00:36:48,080 --> 00:36:50,120 How do all the pieces fit together? 515 00:36:51,600 --> 00:36:56,720 The book of Ruth reminds us that though we don't know exactly how 516 00:36:56,720 --> 00:37:01,000 God will work all things together for our good, we can 517 00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:07,040 trust that He certainly will. Let's pray. 518 00:37:12,960 --> 00:37:17,680 Father, we are grateful that even though you send us bitter 519 00:37:17,680 --> 00:37:23,120 Providence, You have good purposes in our pain. 520 00:37:24,600 --> 00:37:28,600 Lord, would you help us to look to Jesus Christ our King and 521 00:37:28,600 --> 00:37:33,720 remember the great price that He paid for our redemption, that we 522 00:37:33,720 --> 00:37:39,120 could trust You through every bitter Providence far into the 523 00:37:39,120 --> 00:37:45,760 future, when you'll make all things new in Jesus name, Amen.